Kashyyyk Rendezvous

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Cloak, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph sighed quietly, sitting back in his chair. That call could have gone better. He reached up to pull his mantle off, and tossed it onto the table in front of him, revealing the empty sockets behind. His elbow came to rest on the arm of his chair, and his face sank into the waiting palm. He drew his palm down his face after a moment, sighing quietly. He'd been working at this for months, and he was still no closer to finding the ghost ship that had haunted his dreams since his return. He sat in silence for a moment, only being stirred to life as his console chirped. Ten minutes to touch down. Voph stared blankly at the source of the noise for a moment, before pushing himself to his feet. There would be time to worry later.

Voph stepped into the adjacent room, and opened the wardrobe within. The familiar clank of his servant droid sounded behind him, and Voph withdrew the garment he intended to wear. It was handed to the droid while he stripped away his armor. Much as he may enjoy wearing it, it was not a suitable fit for his current objective. The droid helped him into the far less comfortable suit, Voph assisting by fastening various buckles as needed. But he was in Silver Jedi space now. He needed to look presentable. He was, after all, representing not only the Confederacy, but the world of Vylmira.

But that was all secondary to his true objective. As his cloak was draped over his shoulders, he turned, holding his arms out to the side. "Impeccable, Sir." "Are you saying that because you did it?"

The droid did not respond to Voph's quip, instead turning to head towards the bridge. "I will inform the flight crew to land with all possible haste."

As the droid left, Voph turned to the desk near him, reaching out with the force to call his mantle to him, settling it back over his eye sockets. Voph paused for a moment, then called Ciniel to him. He hung the saber at his waist, intending for it to be purely decorative tonight. And with any luck, it would remain so. A quiet night. No threats, no dangers, no trauma. He sighed again, realizing he was...nervous? Anxious? In truth he could not say how he was feeling. He fidgeted idly with the band around his left ring finger. Its soft blue glow was comforting, even if he could not see it. He stirred moments later as the communications line opened.

"This is Arcane Scion, on final approach to Kashyyyk Spaceport. Requesting Permission to dock."

Soon enough, Voph was stepping down the boarding ramp of the ship onto the landing pad. The cool evening air was a welcome reprieve to the artificial atmosphere of his ship. He was a few minutes early. But that was of no matter to him. He'd need time to locate Prenn anyway. His mind became plagued with doubts. After his...mistake at the Gala, he was frankly surprised she'd agreed to meet with him tonight. Was this even the right thing to do? Only time would tell. He set off across the hanger bay, leaving the flight crew to see to the ship's needs. For now, he simply desired to find Prenn's apartment. House? Come to think of it, he didn't know what kind of place she lived. But then to be fair, he didn't even know that of himself yet. But, it had been their designated meeting point. And Voph had managed to located hundreds of beings before, most of which did not desire to be found. So why was he worried? Why indeed...

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{Location: Cabin, Rwookrrorro }​

{ Outfit: Tunic | trousers | coat }​

{Equipment: Pager | holographic disguise matrix }​

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

Prenn walked down one of the open hallways hanging between the medical center and another gigantic tree, leading to the guest houses. As she walked, she tried for the umpteenth time since the beginning of her day shift early this morning, but she still found she tripped over her words or lost herself mid-thought without being interrupted every other second. She couldn't even sleep last night at all and, now, with ten hours of straight work under her belt, normally she would all but call it a day, but her body didn't feel tired.

Quite honestly, it surprised her too.

No, not that she forgave him for upsetting her. After all, there was no way he could have known. Well, there was, but she really wouldn't have appreciated having her mind read. And no, not even that she had invited him her too see her. It was too early yet, she knew, to say exactly what this was, but Prenn did enjoy Voph's company.

But what surprised her was how quickly she had made the decision to tell him just why she had gotten so upset. Oh Force, what was she going to say?

I used to be a First-- she thought before cutting herself off and trying again. My name was Aes'ona Terrani an-- Prennis sighed sharply as she reached up to take out her high bun, leaving her blonde hair in loose waves around her shoulders.

This time, Prenn hadn't cut her off in frustration. Instead, a Wookiee roared the moment she stepped into the guesthouse. "Wyaaaaaa reeeeenn!" Hello, Prenn. Her Shyriiwook was still very much patchy, but thankfully the Jedi had given her one of their nifty translator earpieces when they had asked her to work in the capital. Actually, volunteer was more like it, but that was alright. All of her needs were taken care of. She was feed, given shelter, and clothed.

Prennis smiled and waved at the receptionist before seeing herself up the spiral staircase in the middle of the room a few floors. At the third, she stepped off and moved down the hall to her room. After unlocking the door, she slid out of her sandals and shrugged off her coat to hang in the entranceway, then padded into the studio-styled room. She put on some water for tea and decided to take down two mugs though she wasn't sure if Voph liked tea.

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Cloak, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph walked along the quiet streets, lost in thought in the deafening silence. With a small package tucked under his arm, Voph looked an unassuming traveler returning home for the evening. He'd gotten directions to the clinic from the spaceport, and was well on his way to his destination. Unbeknownst to him, he was plagued with the same thoughts as Prenn. He would have to tell her. But...could he? No one else knew. No one even suspected. Prenn...I have killed millions in the name of a mad man. More self doubt than his own internal monologue. But it was the truth. His brow furrowed as he considered his options.

Voph sighed quietly. When had life become so complicated? His head hung with the weight that had been silently crushing him for...well..years now. Who was he? Was he still a Sith? One granted passage through Silver Jedi space, sure. He knew he was no Jedi. The council's words still rang harsh in his ears... He'd come to them all those years ago, pleading to be heard out, for the sake of...not just the order...but the sake of the galaxy. You will never be a Jedi. Nor will you be fit to be seen among our numbers. Go back to the darkness. We will spare your life this once. Then, you are the enemy.

Voph looked up at the building before him. A small collection of huts that might have consituted an apartment complex in more urban cities. But this was Kashyyyk. And a small smile was brought to Voph's face. He always did like how the Wookies built around nature. He stepped inside, blind gaze turning towards the Wookie sitting at the front desk. He walked over to the desk and set the package on it. "Greetings. I am here to see Prennis Keeoli. Might you point me in her direction?" Voph watched quietly as the wookie gestured and gruffed at him in response. He had no translator device, but he'd served with enough Wookies during the war. He bowed stiffly and picked the package back up. "My thanks."

As Voph climbed the stairs, he lapsed back into thought. He was going to be doing something he'd never done. Not even to his own wife. Ex-wife. Was she even still alive? She had to be. Somewhere. His lip curled in disgust at the thought of her. Was this a good idea? She'd said something at their last meeting about knowing very little about him. And Voph was normally content to keep it that way. Voph came to a pause in front of the door. He could see Prennis within, and he sighed again. His right hand balled into a fist, and raised to the door, but paused.

Could he really tell her the truth? Even if he only used half his title, Voph knew he would have to tell Prennis the truth. He knocked on the door softly, head turned to stare blankly at a lower corner of the door frame. Sooner or later, the truth about what Voph meant to him would be revealed. And if Prenn was to have any chance of understanding, it had best be from him. How could she? Someone who had suffered maker knows what harm at the hands of the First Order? Under the protection of the Silver Jedi? Perhaps if things went well, she'd simply tell him to leave, without getting the Jedi involved. Voph stirred as he heard the door open, and looked up to smile softly at the figure of Prennis in the doorway. "Miss Keeoli. Sorry I'm late."

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

Prennis only smiled. She didn't mind the being late, but the-- "Prenn," she corrected with a gentle laugh. "Unless you're a patient asking for a home visit. Come in, please." She sidestepped out of the doorway, giving him room to move into the narrow corridor leading into the single room, careful to keep her left hand behind her back to hide its shaking. If he wanted, she would take his cloak with her steadier hand to hang up beside hers.

After Voph stepped inside, Prenn shut the door behind him. "Do you like tea?" she asked as she moved over to the kitchen counter. "I went ahead and made two, but don't feel obligated. I can have both." Leaving the invitation open, Prennis took one of the mugs of sapir tea and went to sit on one of the fur-covered chairs near the windows. She scooted backwards and pulled her legs up into a cross-legged position. Then, she could hide the hand she couldn't seem to calm down.

"Uhhm," she began, pausing to clear her throat. "Thank you for coming, Voph. I wanted to...apologize for the gala. I don't get like that very often. I hope I didn't do any damage."

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Cloak, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

Voph stepped inside, reaching up to unclasp his cloak at his throat. "In spite of my best efforts, I find myself in good health." He smirked at his own quip waving Prenn off with his package laden hand. He could hang his own cloak. He turned, surveying the inside of the apartment. It was...quaint. Cozy. Reminded him of Rishi.

"I like tea as well as any other beverage." He said as he turned back to Prenn with the same soft smile on his face. His wounds had healed since their last meeting, the only sign of damage being the one long scar stretching from chin to hairline. The one he'd had since Prenn had met him. He stepped over and picked up the mug left by Prenn, moving to take a sip when he paused. Her hand was shaking. She was trying to hide it, but it was there all the same. An odd curse for a blind man, Voph had always mused, to be able to see even that which you wish not to. But he said nothing of it, his brow furrowing as the girl spoke. "No...no, you were...fine. In fact I'm not confident anyone else even noticed. But the past is in the past." He offered her a smile. But it was the kind that didn't reach the eyes. If such a thing was even possible for an eyeless species.

Voph paused for a moment, words spinning out of control through his mind. "I...should be the one apologizing to you, Prenn. Had I realized that would result in that form of reaction..." Voph paused, and sighed quietly, shaking his head which slowly tilted down to stare at the floor a few feet away. "I..." He stepped forward and looked up, holding up the package. "I brought you this. A...project I've been working on." He held it out to her, and took a seat nearby. "I know it doesn't make up for....for what happened, but...I'm sorry all the same."

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

Setting her tea on the nearby windowsill in favor of taking the offered package, Prenn brought it into her lap and began to open it. As she did, she glanced up at Voph. Inside, was a single glove and a matching eyepiece. "What is it?" she asked. Gingerly, she picked up the glove and draped in over her other hand to take it out and examine it. After receiving an answer, she shook her head and placed the glove back in the box. "Are you sure? I don't want to take your prototype. Your apology is accepted as is."

She felt like she was back graduating med school the first time, back in the Prosperia apartment with Taeir when he told her how proud he was of her and gave her her first medical datapad. Silently, Prenn shook her head--and the memory away. They weren't quite nightmares, but the ones that decided now was a good time to be remembered, that involuntarily accompanied that more pleasant memory of her adoptive father, were...less than pleasant. She still couldn't make heads nor tails of much of her past the First Order had brainwashed over, but she knew that much.

"Thank you," she said finally, loosely repacking the box and setting it on the hardwood beside her chair. "You couldn't have known," she continued without missing a beat. Like she had done when accepting Cassius' offer to come to the Silver Jedi, Prennis pushed herself to continue when all she wanted to do was drag her proverbial feet. "I...uh...came from--" not am from "--that part of the galaxy." She wasn't being clear, she realized, but she hoped he caught on. "I'm not a sympathizer by any means, but...it's hard to explain." She wasn't, at least not politically, but she was a humanist and a doctor--now a nurse. On one hand, she wanted to go to offer aid; on the other, she wanted to stay as far away from Dosuun as possible.

Her gaze fell in her lap to her hands. Surprisingly, they weren't shaking nearly as badly anymore. She could feel a threatening prickling of her skin under her eyes though. If she took this slow, she should be fine. So, after a short breath, she continued, "I left for safety. Now that the First Order has collapsed, I suppose staying here is more for my sanity, but..." She trailed off, realizing she had lost her conversational waypoint. It was better, then, to wait for a reply.

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Cloak, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph finally brought himself to take a sip of the tea as Prenn opened the box. "Medical sensor. Works in tandem with your datapad to scan patients with a variety of sensors, and as you can see, fingerless to allow unimpeded dexterity while worn. And the eye piece displays the data in a convenient hands-free method. Over all, cuts down on the bulk of your normal equipment." He looked at Prenn, his prior nervousness had been set aside briefly when she asked about it. "It's for you, Prenn. Prototype is always the best one. The one I get to build myself. After that...the factory takes over. And it loses some of what made it special to begin with."

But as she continued to speak, Voph's smile faded. A more somber tone fell over him. His brow furrowed in confusion for a moment. "You...You were one of them. Weren't you?" His tone was not accusatory. He didn't seem to hold any ill will towards her. He was simply asking the question. And yet deep down...he felt relief. He understood her plight. Better than she thought, perhaps.

He set his own mug of tea, and reached out to place a hand on Prenn's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Prenn. I know that can't have been easy for you. Leaving your only home..." Voph trailed off, thinking back to his own experience. He sighed quietly, and patted her shoulder gently. "And you don't have to explain anything. I know what you mean."

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

Only when he spoke, did Prenn look up, shy and gently worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. At his question, she nodded before explaining, "I was medical adjunct for the grand admiral." She had no desire to say the name aloud. Maybe Voph knew who that was, but it didn't matter much if not.

Surprisingly, she didn't flinch back when Voph reached out. She had expected to feel pointedly unsafe right about now, but she couldn't have felt safer. Still, she whispered out as she leaned slightly into the physical comfort, "Please don't tell the Jedi. I...I like it here." I'm trying to get better.

But so far the journey to self-forgiveness seemed like trying to fly halfway across the galaxy in a starfighter without a hyperdrive.

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Cloak, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph's brow furrowed in concern. "No, of course not. You have a home. A job, people that care for you...A chance to start over. I wouldn't take that away from you." Voph subconsciously let his hand fall from the girl's shoulder to her hand. He laid his own over it, gently offering a comforting squeeze. "Everyone makes mistakes. Some...bigger than others. But no one is beyond redemption." Voph angled his face towards Prenn in a manner that suggested he was looking directly into her eyes. No one is beyond redemption. He still wasn't sure if he even fully believed it. But he had to. Some days it was the only thing that kept him going. "You're a strong woman, Prennis Keeoli. Strong enough to recognize your own faults, and work to fix them." He smiled gently, "And for that, you have my admiration."

Voph didn't move for a moment. He had so many things running through his head. So many things he wanted to say. But now was not the time. Prenn was the one in pain. Not him. He'd had time to subdue it. Control it. And in Prenn he saw a chance to ease another's passing. He wouldn't deny her that. He smiled gently, and squeezed her hand again as he pushed himself to his feet. "But, it would not do us any good to sit here and bemoan the past." He glanced at the small kitchen stand for a moment, before turning back to Prenn. "Have you eaten anything yet? I think I can remember how to cook something that only vaguely resembles charred wood."

Voph grinned at his own quip. He wasn't that far out of practice. He'd not had much reason to cook for some years. He never cooked for himself. Only for guests. And important guests at that. Even if he was technically the guest in this scenario. He gestured towards the box with Prenn's gift in it. "And you'd best try that on while I'm here. My sense of size isn't what it used to be, and it would be much easier to fix while I'm already here." And it would help her get her mind off the matter at hand. There would be a time to confront the past. But for now, Voph decided he'd be best suited to trying to lift her spirits.

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

She was caught off-guard again, so much so that she forgot to laugh. She just shook her head. "No, I," she began, "I haven't eaten yet, no. Use whatever's in the fridge." When Voph made his suggestion, Prenn stooped to pick up her present again. She balanced the box on one of her thighs and took out the glove. "It goes on my left?" she guessed, only to pause and clear her throat when she realized that her native Imperial accent had bleed through.

She didn't dwell, though, as she flexed her fingers and rotated her wrist. "It's not uncomfortable, but a little tight. Is tight good?" Possibly to hold up the sensors? And the...? She reached back in the box with her right hand for the eyepiece. She fit the duraplast frame over her right ear. "Does it look okay?" she asked as she set aside the parcel and stood to pad over to the kitchen sink to look in the mirror, careful to keep out of Voph's way. She didn't want to be the second cook not even cooking.

She rose her hand to play with her ear where the frame was digging into her head, but she wasn't sure if it was the fit or how it was sitting.

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph stepped over and began rummaging through the fridge to select the tools he desired to use for tonight's meal. "Yes. Supposed to go on your non-dominant hand so it's out of the way." He paused, setting the gathered ingredients on the counter. "Not...tight, but snug. Of course, it can sit as loose as you'd like, but...well, I figure that it would be best kept to as minimal a profile as possible. Given the conditions you work in." Voph turned his back as he began preparing the food. He paused, however, when Prenn asked how it looked. He turned, a look of mock annoyance on his face. "Really. Ask the blind man how it looks." He grinned, turning back to his work, shaking his head in a continued charade of annoyance. "Racist... It looks fine, for what that's worth from a man like me."

He moved over slightly as she stepped up to the mirror. Wiping his hands on a towel, he turned to help her as she fidgeted with the earpiece. "Tilt your head..." He muttered as his hands came up to gently ease her head to the side. Voph stood nearly a foot taller than her, after all. He gently brought a hand up to pull the earpiece away from her head, then his other hand to lightly brush her hair away from the ear. It rested gently on the ear as Voph positioned it properly. "There. That's got it." Voph paused for a moment, a hand still resting under the girl's chin where he held her head in place so he could properly set the eyepiece on. As if suddenly becoming self conscious of the gesture, he turned back to the meal he was preparing.

"How...how does it feel? Shouldn't feel much different than wearing a headset." Voph was deep into multitasking at this point, preparing something that seemed akin to a curry dish. Though he prepared it different than some would. Perhaps a sign of how little he cooked. Or, an old family recipe. "The gauntlet also has an interesting piece of technology that permits you to stabilize patients with a nanite array. On that scale, you shouldn't try more than two, and I personally would only attempt to stabilize two people at once in only the most dire circumstances..."

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

And then, her heart was in her throat and her cheeks felt entirely too warm all at once. Had she bumped the thermostat on her way over? No, no, she had not even gone anywhere near it. Before she could think of an alternate explanation--maybe the obvious--the pager still clipped to her waistband, opposite her holo matrix, chirped. It wasn't a call to duty though; it was a built-in reminder for staff to take care of themselves. In this case, the monitor had detected an abnormal heart rate. Prennis' right hand flew to her waist, to check the screen's warning and proceed to dismiss it. "Pardon," she muttered before looking back up, and over Voph's shoulder. She couldn't help but smile. "It looks good." Smelled good too. "You should come cook for me more often. I never have the energy." Most often, her patients at the hospital ate better than she did when off the clock. Maybe that was part of the reason she always was picking up shifts.

Clearing her throat, Prenn stepped back over to the recliner and sat, folded knee under her. "Yeah, it feels great. These will get a lot of use, Voph; thank you. Maybe a trial run tomorrow?" The question was aimed more at herself than him.

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph's brow furrowed as he continued cooking, hardly paying attention to Prenn as she checked her pager. He wasn't sure if he was simply overreacting, or if he truly did feel something for her deep down. But as the strange feeling continued to build and boil inside of him, he paused. What normally felt cold and empty was beginning to fill with a soft warmth. Gone was the raging inferno of guilt and hatred that normally threatened to consume him, that he fed on to keep going. And instead, Voph felt...happy. Happy. The word echoed in his head, now foreign to him.

He realized that she was peering over his shoulder at the food, before retreating back to her chair. Voph smiled to himself as her request processed. "Would that I could. But my time is never my own. I can name no less than three individuals who will be displeased to learn I am here." Voph pulled the food off the stove, and placed it in two bowls. One was handed to Prennis as he sat down near her. He sighed quietly. "Can't remember the last time I took the time for a warm meal..." He took a careful bite of the food, and chewed in silence. "If it's not one person that needs saving, its another." He looked up at Prennis and offered her a thin smile.

"If you're so eager to test it out, I think I've still got an old blaster wound or two that haven't fully healed." Voph shrugged, taking another bite of his food. He grinned at her, indicating he was mostly joking about the blaster wound. "Or...you know...give it a day or two. I'll find some scuffle to give you ample opportunity to try your new toy." Voph's smile faded, reaching up to scratch the corner of his nose, right by the large scar that adorned his face. "So...how have you been holding up? Silver's got you busy, I'd imagine. Being...housed right next to the medical facility and all."

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

With a grateful smile, Prennis accepted her bowl and placed it in her lap. Still warm, but the cloth her her trousers did much to insulate her skin. "Thank you." Soon after, she took her own bite, savoring the taste a moment before chewing and swallowing. She didn't remember, either, when she had a home cooked meal last. Was it...? It was on Dosuun with her not-family.

"If it's not one person that needs saving, its another."

With a nod, Prennis echoed his words, "And if it's not one shift needing covered, it's another. I understand."

As he joked--or, mostly joked--she ate again, pausing when she was asked a question. She shrugged as she swallowed her current bite. "I like living close to the job," she explained. "Means I get to sleep in a little. Downside is they know they can page me in at the drop of a hat. But that's okay with me. I live for medicine. It..." A pause; she hadn't meant to start that sentence, but she continued anyway. It would be wrong to lie to Voph now. "...means I don't get to stop and feel guilty as often. I'm trying to make up for the bad. I don't know if I can--"

Flashes of Sullust.

Doubtful.

"--but I have to try."

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph took another bite of his own food, nodding quietly, a soft smile on his face as Prenn spoke of being near the hospital. But it faded as she continued. He knew all too well what it was like to live with the ghosts of your past. To let her work consume her, instead of making peace with her mistakes. And it wasn't something he wished on anyone. And for the first time since that fateful injury on Balmorra, Voph realized that the emotion on his face was...his. Not some front to attempt to blend in, or appear normal. The sadness and concern upon his brow was genuine.

Voph sighed, looking down at his bowl for a moment. He stood, carrying the bowl with him as he moved his own chair to sit beside Prenn. He sat down, right hand reaching out to rest gently on her shoulder. "I...don't know that anything can make up for past evils. But that doesn't mean we stop fighting for what's right. I lay awake at night wondering the same thing. If there is a way to atone for what I've done." Voph's brow furrowed deeper as he looked at Prenn. "You're an admirable woman, Prennis Keeoli. You have a strength that many could only hope to achieve. And that's not something to be taken lightly."

Voph fell silent for a moment, his mind wondering what atrocities might have kept her awake at night. He could only imagine, given the number of things he'd seen, forget what he himself had done. But he knew, deep down, that if redemption was possible for him, it would be possible for anyone. And were the maker willing, he would surrender his life to help another right the wrongs of their past. "But even if the world is ready to cast you aside, and condemn you for what you've done...I forgive you."

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~
As Voph began to speak, Prennis lowered her gaze and began pushing the remaining food around her bowl with her fork. Clearly, she was uncomfortable. But towards the end of his thoughts, she stopped and looked up at him sideways. "...Really?" she asked softly with bated breath.

Her voice utterly betrayed her in that moment. It insinuated that she held onto much more hope for herself than she did. And, because of that, if she had backed herself into less of a vulnerable state, and if it perhaps wasn't so late and Voph hadn't been nothing but kind since the moment he arrived, Prenn might have put up more of a fight. Somewhere, deep down, she wanted to argue, to prosecute herself, to push him away, but none of that would happen tonight.

Letting out a deep sigh, Prennis leaned forward to place her bowl in front of her. Then she rearranged herself so she was sitting at the edge of her seat, cross-legged and facing Voph, so she could gently bury her head in his shoulder. "Thank you..." she muttered.

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Whatever aversion to touch Voph had displayed before seemed to be gone. Perhaps it was a habit he'd grown out of in the time since their first meeting. Perhaps he was better at suppressing it. Or perhaps he recognized the hypocrisy in touching others, when he himself did not like to be touched. But regardless, Prenn had set her bowl aside, and was now seeking comfort in his shoulder. And as heartless as he could be at times, Voph would not turn her away.

Instead, his arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug. The disbelief in her voice was...saddening to say the least. Voph raised his hand from Prenn's shoulder and laid it gently on the back of her head, holding her close. He held her in silence for a moment. Only the sound of breathing and heartbeats filled the small cabin. "No one is beyond redemption, Prenn." His voice was barely a whisper. "No one."

Voph pulled away from the hug, bringing the hand that had rested on Prenn's head down to her chin to gently lift her face towards his. His brow was furrowed in concern, perhaps betraying how he was beginning to feel about her. And for all the world, he wished he could look into her eyes. To see her for what she was. He'd never bemoaned his inability to see the world as others saw it. But there were times where the prospect of physical sight were a tempting prospect. But as he stared blindly at Prenn's face, he simply said, "Don't punish yourself for your mistakes, Prenn. You're worth more than that."

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Tag: [member="Voph"] }​

~ † ~​

It felt like too much: redemption for someone like her. She wanted it, yes, oh, Force, she needed it, but a voice in the back of her head whispered that it was a lie, a cruel trick. Whether it was herself or the Jedi, she felt that, like Tantalus' grapes, the chance would be ripped from her grasp as soon as she tried to seize it.

She shook her head, trying to physically loose the idea from her mind. It could return later, the doubt, the searing guilt, but right now Prennis had to stay sane. To do that, she had to convince herself of Voph's promise first, and then try to agree to his request. Momentarily, she closed her eyes and took a ragged but deep breath. When she opened them, some of the foggy apprehension had melted away, allowing some small amount of self-acceptance to wash over her--only to be replaced by more. But, of another kind altogether.

And this time she didn't misconstrue the obvious.

Her hands were shaking again as she rose them both, one after the other, to the man's cheeks. She caressed the right with her thumb, pad running over the fabric of his blindfold. "I think I'm starting to believe that," she whispered before drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. It seemed to her like a long, long moment before she was scooting just a bit closer, leaning up ever so slightly, and pressing a feather-light kiss onto Voph's lips. But, then, just like that, she pulled away.

 

[Kyyrk]

Location: Kashyyyk​

Gear: Ciniel, Tunic​

Tags: [member="Prennis Keeoli"]​

​

Voph smiled gently at Prenn as she reached up to take his face in her hands. Her thumb ran across his blindfold, the fabric stirring under her touch. And once again, alarm shot through his body. What if she moved it? What if she saw him for what he was? His mask was sacred. His only shield against these humans finding out his true nature. An eyeless freak. Good for nothing but servitude and slaughter. He could feel the revulsion welling up in him, despite the lack of physical reaction. His very being screamed for him to pull away. He shouldn't be here. He had no right...

But the terror was silenced. Voph's brow furrowed, almost unsure of what had just happened. But as Prenn pulled away from him, the lingering sensation on his lips grew more pronounced. She....kissed him. Voph might have blinked, if he had the ability to do so. But it was undeniable. The panic was gone as fast as it had come. Slowly, the smile that had fled from his face began to creep back. He was not among the Sith any longer. He had to tell himself that. She might be unsettled by his appearance. But she would not shun him for it.

And for the first time in living memory, Voph felt an odd warmth creep into his being. A tender caress he'd longed to feel for years. Even more gentle than the kiss Prenn had given him. And as he thought on it, a single word came to mind. Safe. Voph reached up to rest his own hand against her cheek. "Because it's true." He gently brushed a lock of hair away from Prenn's face.

"Take some time for yourself. Figure out who you were meant to be. And if you need help...I'm here. I never deny help to those who ask. Especially not a friend." Friend. It...sounded weird. Friend. Ally. No, it was something more than an ally. Deep down, a dark fragment of his soul wanted to push her away. To deny it. But...She was a friend. The first being Voph was willing to consider his friend since the War. And though it seemed foolish, Voph knew all too well that the path to healing always began with a single step. No matter how big, or how small. He would help Prenn find her place in the galaxy. And...maybe along the way, he would find his...